Hi Carrie-
So, they must be struvite crystals then. The Hill’s s/d diet does dissolve crystals and I wouldn’t mess around with them. I feel that you should follow the vet’s advice. The s/d is to be fed only until the crystals are gone. It is not a long term food. The Hill’s c/d can be fed long term. I would assume that your vet would recommend to use that after the stones are gone. Definitely try to use as much of the canned s/d as you can afford and that she will eat rather than the dry. Also continue to make sure she gets as much water and potty breaks as possible. There are other brands of urinary vet food that you may want to look in to such as, Purina, Iams, Wysong and Royal Canin that may look better to you. But, for now, I would feed the s/d until dissolved.
After the stones are gone, maybe with the help of a holistic vet or a canine nutrition expert, you can transition to a non vet food. Another thing that is helpful in keeping pH levels more consistent is to feed smaller frequent meals and very little kibble. Good luck to you!
